


Stand With You on a Mountain

by idra



Series: 28 Days of Love [25]
Category: Gymnastics RPF
Genre: Camping, Established Relationship, Hiking, M/M, Proposals, Pure Unadulterated Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23386552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: Sam and Max decide to go camping together.
Relationships: Samuel "Sam" Mikulak/Max Whitlock
Series: 28 Days of Love [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/936522
Kudos: 1





	Stand With You on a Mountain

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno. The fluffiest of fluffy fluff. 
> 
> Prompt is Truly, Madly, Deeply, so of course I had to use the song of the same name.
> 
> Enjoy!

Sam laughs as he and Max make their way up the trail. "I told you it wouldn't be an easy hike. But no, you insisted, it would be easy." Sam jumps out of the way as Max swats at him. "What?" 

"Stop. Being. An. Ass." Max pants as he stops, dropping his bag to the ground. "You're so lucky I love you," he adds, smiling at Sam. "Are we almost to the top?" 

"Pretty soon. Then it's another mile downhill to the campground I rented us." Sam moves back to Max, kissing him gently. "Okay, stud. I'll carry your gear for a bit, okay?" 

"I can carry it." Max moves to grab his backpack, but Sam's already hefting it over his own. "Sam." 

"Max," Sam says back, just as exasperatedly. "Baby, let me do this. Just until we get to the top of the trail. Then you can take over." Sam reaches out, cupping Max's face in his hand. "You're exhausted and in no way prepared for this. You've been so busy preparing for Worlds, you haven't gotten any practice in for hiking. And they use completely different muscles. So please, baby, let me carry your bag. At least part way." 

"Fine. God, I don't know how you do this to me. Every time. You make me give in." 

"Not always," Sam says, leaning in and brushing his lips over Max's. "We're going to your family's for Christmas again, instead of Christmas with mine."

"Yeah, but we do Thanksgiving here."

"Which isn't even a thing in the UK, so don't even try." 

"Exactly. It is an important holiday here in the US, so we spend it with your family and Christmas with mine. It's only fair." Max chuckles. "And this is a very old argument, isn't it?" 

"I think we've had it since we got together after Rio." Sam laughs as well. "Come on, stud. Let's get up this trail. Then comes the easy part." 

"You're making dinner tonight and it had better be edible!" Max says as he gets to his feet, Sam already back on the trail and making his way up it. Max sighs and shakes his head, following his lover. He fingers the box in his pocket, thankful he hadn't lost it anywhere. They've been together for just over two years now and Max knew it was long past time for them to take the next step. He just hoped that Sam agreed.

After another half hour of climbing they made it to the top of the trail. Sam handed Max his bag back, sitting down to dig out some water for both of them. "Want a granola bar?" 

"Sure," Max says, taking several deep breaths. "Crap, I am out of shape for this. How much longer do we have to keep hiking? In general I mean, not just for today." 

"Couple more weeks. I figured we could stay out here for those weeks?" Sam raises an eyebrow, handing Max one of their granola bars. "I paid for the campground for the whole time. I thought you and I could just... There's a lake nearby, and a few other trails that are shorter than this one...." 

"I'm happy to be out here with you. Maybe next year we can come out earlier. Spend a longer time?" 

"Yeah, absolutely. If the Olympics are good." Sam smiles, knowing it doesn't reach his eyes. 

"Hey. You did so good." 

"I didn't win. I didn't come close." Sam shakes his head, laughing. "Fuck, maybe everyone's right? If I'm the best the US has to offer, we're fucked in the Olympics." 

"Don't say that, Sam. You know better." 

"You're right. I'm getting too old for this shit. Maybe I should just retire. Leave the sport to the younger guys." 

"Sam," Max growls. "Stop that. We'll talk about it after the Olympics, but don't talk to me about retiring until then." 

Sam opens his mouth but sees the look on Max's face. "I'm sorry, baby. I know I'm being an idiot. I just... I'm fucking pissed off at myself. I could've done better. I should've done better."

Max pulls him close, kissing him. "Just remember, you did a great job. And who else can claim they've been US National champ six times? Besides Simone, but I'm pretty sure she's just a freak of nature." 

Laughing, Sam leans against Max. "Got that right. You're right. I just need to..." 

"Believe you can and you will." Max smiles and kisses Sam again. "Come on. Lets get to this campground so we can set up while it's still light."

"Sounds good, baby." Sam kisses him and grabs his backpack, helping Max get his on before they set off down the trail together.

It doesn't take them nearly as long to get down the trail as it did going uphill, and finally, Sam is setting up the tent while Max searches for firewood. Max hums to himself as he makes his way back to camp, arms full of branches and dried moss. He smiles when he sees Sam putting the finishing touches on the tent. It's larger than the one they usually use, so Max has to wonder why. He sets the branches and fire starters on the ground near the campfire circle. "Sam? Honey? Why the bigger tent?" 

Sam turns and smiles. "Because if you remember the last time we were out camping, we collapsed the tent on us while we were making love. I didn't want to risk the same thing happening, so... Bigger tent." He pulls Max in by the belt, licking Max's lips. "Because I want us to be able to get as loud and wild as we want to be." 

Max flushes, remembering exactly what they'd been doing when the tent had collapsed on them. "Well, hopefully this tent is sturdier than that one, 'cause if we're going to be testing our flexibility again..." 

"Again, bigger tent." Sam grins. "Now, lets get a fire started, then I'll make you dinner."

"What do we have for dinner?" 

"Well, tonight it's going to be pretty simple." Sam holds out a can of stew and a can of green beans. "I'll heat these up. Tomorrow, we'll go fishing and try to catch dinner?" 

"Sounds good." Max kisses him and moves back to the fire pit, piling the wood together as Sam gets the starters lit. In a few moments they have a decent fire going and Max settles back, watching as Sam opens cans and empties them into the pots they'd brought. "So, did you bring anything to drink?" 

"Beer in the cooler. A bottle of wine for another night. And of course, water." 

Max gets to his feet, grabbing them both beers. He hands one to Sam and settles back down. "I love watching you in the wilderness. You're so at home here." 

"You're not so bad yourself," Sam says, winking at Max. "You really seem to enjoy yourself."

Max shrugs. "I enjoy being with you, even if we are in the middle of nowhere." He chuckles and wiggles around until he's more comfortable. "What do you say, after dinner..." 

Raising an eyebrow, Sam looks Max over. "Yes?" 

"We bring our sleeping bag out here by the fire and make love in the moonlight?" 

"I say my lover is a genius." Sam grins and leaves the fireside, straddling Max's lap. "I love you, Max. More than anything." 

"I love you too."

"Well, that's handy." Sam leans in, biting gently at Max's jaw. "How 'bout you grab some dishes for our food?" 

"Yes, dear," Max says, swatting Sam's ass. 

A week and a half later, the two gymnasts are lying under the stars, watching the twinkling lights dance across the sky when Max rolls to his side suddenly. "Sam... I have something I need to ask you." 

"Of course, baby," Sam says, leaning up to kiss Max. "What's up?" 

"I want..." Max sighs and crawls out of the sleeping back, going over to his backpack. He pulls out the box and rejoins Sam, sitting cross legged on top of the sleeping bag. "I got this two years ago, at Christmas. I've wanted to find the right time since, but I..." He closes his eyes and takes three deep breaths before he opens the box. "Will you marry me?" 

Sam sits up, mouth dropping open. "Max..." He lets out a short laugh, then crawls over to his backpack, pulling out a similar box. "That same Christmas, my dad gave me this when we got back to the states. Told me if I didn't ask you, it would end up being the biggest mistake of my life. It was my grandfather's." Sam opens his box. "So yes, Max, I will absolutely marry you. It would be my absolute honor and privilege." He takes the ring from Max, handing his over. "I love it. It looks old." 

Laughing, Max slips Sam's grandfather's ring onto his finger. "It was my great-grandfather's. He got it when he married my great grandmother." They look down at their rings for several moments longer before falling into a each others arms. 

Max shifts, settling Sam under him as he runs his hands up and down Sam's sides.


End file.
